BIG problem with Laticrete permacolor grout!!

14 years ago

Floor tile Crossville strong series beige-we really like this tile. Designer at tile store recommended Laticrete permacolor grout, color #52 toasted almond-she said it may be a little darker than the sample stick and picture. We said that's fine. Order comes in and we pick it up. DH starts laying the tile which is how we envisioned it-beautiful! Now it's time to grout. DH has done tile work before so no novice. He carefully follows instructions on the box and grouts inside the pantry and the spaces for the stove and refrigerator as I'd like them out of the middle of my floor. OMG-the grout is almost white-what happened. Call the tile store-they say come in with grout and piece of tile. We drop these off-the guy has called Laticrete. He is going to do a test himself to see if we did something wrong??? Return to tile store next day and OMG the test shows a very pale almost white-not what we envisioned for the grout. We compare this test blob to sample stick-like day and night. Guy said Laticrete will pay for us to have Aqua Mix Pro Enhance N Set. It will hopefully darken the grout.

Lesson learned-do a sample board yourself before doing the whole project like we did!!

This is the Laticret chart-toasted almond is the bottom one.

This is test done by tile store. Grout on right is the pale, sick looking toasted almond. Left half of this blob of grout is how is should look after the Aqua Mix Enhance goes on. Just another thing DH has to do. He is not a happy camper!!

This is the floor DH installed with the toasted almond grout showing color we are not happy about.

This is the same floor but wet. The grout looks ok when wet. We could live with this. Tile guy said this is how our floor will look after we apply the Aqua Mix Enhance. Fingers crossed!!

Featured Answer

want2bsure

14 years ago

Don't panic yet! We bought this grout, don't remember which color, something beige, it practically glowed white, I was hysterical. 24 hours later, it looked just like the sample card. By then I had returned a half empty bag, had a long discussion with tile dept. person of big box store about how "off" the colors were from the swatch, chose a darker color, and tried again. Thank goodness we did a test in a hidden spot. How long has it been?

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Comments (21)

chris45ny
Original Author
14 years ago
It's been about 24 hrs. I really think this is not going to change to dark like the sample stick. Otherwise, why wouldn't Laticrete just tell us to wait?? They did pay for the enhancer which hasn't been applied yet. Going to wait until this coming weekend for that. Keeping my fingers crossed that it will be ok in the end. Thanks for your advice-was your grout Laticrete permacolor??
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nkkp
14 years ago
I had exactly the same thing happen to me with that brand. It has been over 1 year and my laundry room is nowhere NEAR the sample color. I chose a new color.
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chris45ny
Original Author
14 years ago
nkkp-Wow, that's good to know it's not just me. I think I'm going to return the Laticrete permacolor grout that is unopened-intended that (natural gray) for our backsplash but now thinking best to go with another brand. Thanks for your info!!
a1an
14 years ago
It's not the brand....
Water, etc throws off grout color.

I would do a test tile sample with grout and enhancer, and SEE how your results will look.

I went through 5 boxes of grout till I found the right one.
Same chips just out you in the ballpark..
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chris45ny
Original Author
14 years ago
In my picture showing the tile with the glob of grout in the center-that was done by a tile pro. So he got the same result as we did. At first DH thought maybe he over washed, etc. but no-it's that the color isn't anything like the sample stick-not even close.

IMO you shouldn't have to go through 5 boxes of grout color. This box of grout color cost $47.16. No way am I spending $250 on grout to get the "correct" color!! I understand there will be some variations-won't perfectly match the sample picture and stick but it should be somewhat close.
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a1an
14 years ago
IME, the color is close but never truely on target...
Kinda like paint sample chips and how they will LOOK different depending on what room they are in.

And yes, it's a god awful lot to spend on color but would you rather put it all in, hate in and then have the fun job of slowly removing grout lines to redo it.

YMMV, but I would rather spend the $$ upfront, make sure the color is on target than the latter...

It's trial and error. Maybe the 2nd box is the trick. Maybe the 1st box in Mapei is the trick.
chris45ny
Original Author
14 years ago
chefwong-Is there a brand of grout that would more closely look like the stick sample or the picture that would be better than the Laticrete?? If anything, we were told to expect the toasted almond grout to be DARKER than the sample pieces!! You mentioned Mapei. Is that something you've used with fairly accurate results?? I don't expect the grout IRL to exactly match up to the store sample pieces but somewhat similar would be fine.

You're right-definitely don't want to have to remove all the grout. So hoping the enhance stuff they gave us will do the trick. If not, luckily DH has a machine/tool that easily removes the grout. Will repost after we've applied the enhancer with results because Laticrete appears to be a popular brand. Wonder if we just got a bad batch???!!!
chris45ny
Original Author
14 years ago
DH applied the Aqua Mix Enric'N'Seal several days ago and it really works!! Just wanted to give an update as several GWers have e-mailed me with problems like I had at first with a grout way lighter than the sample stick color. Here are the pictures. First is the floor before the enhancer/sealer was applied. Grout way lighter than we wanted.

This is the floor when wet. You can see how the grout darkens up.

This is the floor after the Aqua Mix has been applied. Much better. We like it!
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positano
14 years ago
Good to know,I had the exact same problem with that grout. I may give that a try.

Thanks for posting the results.
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harleynig
9 years ago
didn't check this forum before trying to lay grout. I have two bags of the same color grout, Permacolor #2540 Latte. Mixed both on a tile and the difference was huge. One looked white and the other a light brown. I think I see the issue, the inability to consistently mix colors evenly from batch to batch. I am involved in the rubber business so I understand mixing of materials, to reduce mixing time and increase output, the mixing is not sufficient.
PRO
Beyond Basics Tile & Stone
7 years ago
With over 30 yrs in the business i currantly only use Customs Fusion Pro lifetime sealed premixed grout color consistent every time. Hundreds of jobs no problems.
pricklypearcactus
7 years ago
last modified: 7 years ago
Wow I'm sorry you had such a bad experience with Laticrete Permacolor. I've installed tile and grouted with Laticrete Permacolor in Bright White, Raven, and Platinum and I've been really happy with the outcome in every case in my house. Not so much when I tried to do a quick re-grout of a shower with something from my local home improvement store. (I think it was Mapei.) I installed "white" grout which looked white while I was installing and then dried beige. I was just grouting this weekend with Laticrete Permacolor and read the mega disclaimer on the bag about the grout color not being guaranteed to match the color swatches. Good to know that next time I grout I'll have to mix up a sample batch and try it out on some tile scraps. I'm glad your situation turned out ok in the end.
knokecabinetryr
5 years ago
just used latacrete smoke gray grout , it came out almost white, what should I do now, any Ideas
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chris45ny
Original Author
5 years ago
Do what we did. Go back to the tile store or wherever you purchased the grout. If tile store they will contact Laticrete to resolve issue like they did for us. If big box store like Home Depot or Lowe's-stores we have where I live-you may have to contact Laticrete yourself. Putting on the Aqua Mix Enhance did help but over the years of washing/cleaning the floor the grout has lightened up a bit. It's been almost 10 years now and I'm ok with how the grout is with my tile. However don't know if I'd ever use Laticrete again.
PRO
LATICRETE International, Inc.
5 years ago
Chris - did you contact your Distributor on this issue? If not, please call our Tech Services Department at your convenience at 1.800.243.4788.
chris45ny
Original Author
5 years ago
Yes, we did and they contacted Laticrete. Laticrete gave us the Aqua Mix Enhance at no charge to us. Problem resolved when we applied the enhance to the grout. It darkened up and we were happy. That was back in 2010. Over the years the grout has lightened up so we probably need to apply the enhance again.
ruth7373
4 years ago
Did the permacolor come with the color packs?
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ruth7373
4 years ago
Did the Permacolor come with color packs?
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Caroline R
3 years ago
I just had this happen to me and now I’m reading reviews and sick about it. Grouted with Smoke gray and it went on beautifully. Then it dried to WHITE. SO UPSET
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Paul Kern
2 years ago
Laticrete spectralock epoxy is the best grout on the market, sorry your installers didn't guide you in that direction, been using it for 15 years.....not a single problem with it.

BIG problem with Laticrete permacolor grout!!

want2bsure

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BIG problem with Laticrete permacolor grout!!

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